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Robert G. Smith
Agency patch
Trooper

Robert G. Smith

Florida Highway Patrol — Tallahassee, FL
Felonious
United States flag Florida flag
End of Watch July 26, 1997
Age 34
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 144 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 53

Incident

Trooper Robbie Smith was killed at approximately 3:00 am when his patrol car was struck from behind by a drunk driver near the Northwest 95th Street exit on Interstate 95. He had just finished a traffic stop on I-95 and was completing paperwork when the crash occurred. Shortly after impact, his cruiser burst into flames, and he burned to death after being trapped inside. The 21-year-old driver who caused the crash was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years in Florida State Prison. On August 13, 2010, with less than a year left in prison, he was in a work release program and failed to return to prison at the end of his shift. He was found sitting on a park bench in his urine in a very intoxicated condition. Trooper Smith had served with the Florida Highway Patrol for five years. He is survived by his wife, son, daughter, parents, and brother, who also served in law enforcement. Between 1985 and 1989, Trooper Smith was a pitcher for the Minnesota Twins. In each of the previous four years, he had made over 100 DUI arrests. In 2000 Governor Jeb Bush signed the Trooper Robert Smith bill into law, allowing judges to keep drunk drivers in jail until their trial.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, daughter, parents, and brother, who also served in law enforcement.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper Smith gave the Florida Highway Patrol 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Florida. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Smith.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Florida Highway Patrol
Type Highway Patrol
Location Tallahassee, Leon County, FL
Platform Identity fhp.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 26, 1997
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 34
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Robert is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1997, 88 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 71st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Robert was 34. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Robert had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was automobile, in 4.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Florida Highway Patrol has 54 officers remembered here, Robert among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Trooper Robert G. Smith

Florida Highway Patrol · End of Watch July 26, 1997

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 33-E

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